JOHOR BAHRU - Perikatan Nasional (PN) describes Umno’s claim that there was a wave of support from the people to the party during the Pulai parliamentary and Simpang Jeram state by-elections as ‘syok sendiri’ (full of itself) and a denial syndrome.
PN secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said Umno was trying to deny the reality like they did in the state elections.
"It (Umno) said the same thing during the state election, they were ‘syok sendiri’ and have been talking about it. We don’t care about what they were saying because even the people knew what they were talking about and the people will not forget.
"To me, let it be (Umno’s denial syndrome). It is just them being ‘syok sendiri’,” he said when met at the vicinity of Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim, here, today.
Earlier, Hamzah accompanied PN candidate Zulkifli Jaafar for the Pulai parliament by-election nomination process.
Zulkifli will be contesting against Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Suhaizan Kaiat and independent candidate Samsudin Mohamad Fauzi.
Also present were Parti Pribumi Bersatu (Bersatu) deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu, its vice-president Datuk Ronald Kiandee and Supreme Leadership Council member Datuk Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin.
In regard to a new face being fielded by PN in the by-election, Hamzah who is also Bersatu secretary-general said Zulkifli’s candidacy was a result of the party’s confidence that the latter could serve the constituency besides knowing the responsibilities he had to carry as well as understanding the people’s interests.
He said Zulkifli’s experience as an activist was also an advantage in the effort to wrestle the Pulai parliamentary seat from PH.
Meanwhile, Hamzah said he was satisfied with the preparations and momentum of the PN machinery which was seen as running smoothly for the campaigns.
"This is to ensure that the people would understand what our responsibilities are and what we are fighting for,” said the Larut MP.
He said he hoped that the people especially voters would make the right choice in the by-elections and could refer to PN’s achievements while it was previously the federal government.
He said when PN was the government, it did not point fingers at the opposition but instead looked for solutions to the people’s problems and helped them.
This, he said could be proven during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said PN’s administration was excellent, but when the government of the day took over, the economy declined and based on analysis, the country’s economic growth which was projected to be five per cent this year, will not happen.
Hamzah also expressed satisfaction with the presence of more than 1,000 PN supporters who came to show support and some even expressing dissatisfaction with the government of the day.